Folding garage door



Feb. 18, 1941. c. L. DIERKER FOLDING GARAGE DOOR Filed Aug. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 18, 1941.

c. L. DIERKER FOLDING GARAGE DOOR Filed Aug. 5, 1958 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE) I am: 1

ronnmccsnscnnooa CharlesLDiataa-Stlnniajlo. Anpum ansustamnsmmmzzun scum. (cue-1o) This invention relates to improvements in folding or collapsible doors or partitions, such as employed upon garages or for the fire doors of buildings. One of the chief objects of the invention is to provide a folding or collapsible door made up of a plurality of panels or shutters horizontally arranged and mounted at'their ends to slide within channels or run-ways formed in the upright side members ofthe door, and to expand'vertically in an overlapping relation for closing the door opening, or to pivot to a horizontal-position for collapsing to the top of the door frame, for the purpose of opening the door.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a folding or collapsible door or partition, the same being made up of-a plurality of narrow panels arranged in a horizontal overlapping relation, these panels being extended between channeled and vertically positioned side members of the door, the ends of the panels being provided with headed lugs extended into the channels oi. the side members and upon which lugs the panels may-turn or pivot so that their planes are turned either vertically, as when the door is closed, or are turned horizontally and drawn together in a stack at the top of the door opening, as when the door is opened, the said channels of the side members of the door being increased in width from bottom to top of the door frame at distances substantially corresponding to the width of the panels, and the heads of the pivot lugs upon which the panels are suspended being also increased or enlarged from bottom to top, to the end that the several panels will automatically spread vertically for-closing the door way with each panel pivotally supported in its required position as a partial closure by beingstopped at the required vertical position in the door frame. by virtue of its pivot lugs at either end contacting the relatively reduced shoulders of the next lower step or reach of the channel ways of the side members of the door frame. 1

Another objectof the invention is to provide a vertically collapsible door or partition, comprising a pluralityof narrow panels horizontally extended between the side members of a door frame the latter being channeled to enga e lugs or pins extended medially from the ends of the panels, the said pins havingheads of increasing thickness or diameter from the predetermined lower panel to the upper panel, with pins or stops mounted in the channel-ways of the side members of the door frame at regularly spaced distances oneabove the other, in such manner as to successively intercept and stop the several panels on their downward movement inthe process or operation of closing thedoororofexpandingthepanelsforthatpurpose, the said successive stoppin of the several panels being due to the said successive enlarge ment of the heads of the pivot lugs or pins ex- 5 tended from the ends of the panels and contacting the said pins or stops of the channel-ways of the sidemembers. 4 V 1 With the foregoing and such other objects and advantages in view as may appear from the fol- 1o lowing specification and drawings, attention is now directed to the drawings wherein Figure-1 is a fragmentary view of a wall with a door-way formed therein, the door-way being provided with a collapsible closure or door com- 15 posed of collapsible panels auembled and mounted in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a frontal elevation of one of the panels or shutters, a plurality of which are assembled to complete a doorin accordance with a my invention. 7

' Figure 3 is an end view of one of the panels or shutters. J

lllgure4isasectiononthelinel-4ofrigure 1, the door panels however being shown collapsed u to the top of the door. for opening the same.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing how the panels of the door are pivotally hung withinv the channeled side members of the door frame and illustrating one means for stoppins the panels at their required vertical positions, for the purpose of entirely closing the'door opening.

Figure 6 is a detail showing one method or means of stopping the panels of the door at their required vertical locations, by means of pins or stops extended transversely of the'channel-way or track of theside members of the door'frame, these pins being adapted to intercept successively thicker heads of pivot lugs extended from the panel ends, from'the bottom panel to the upper panel and whereby the panels are spread to close the door opening.

Figure '7 is a similar detail showing another method of stoppin or spreading the door panels to close the door opening, by means of pins or stops mounted at either side of the heads of the pivot lugs supporting thepanels, these heads being increased in diameter from bottom to top and the pins being spaced further and further apart to correspond; and whereby the same automatic spreading of the panels is secured as by the expedient shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a similar detail showing still another .methodof providing stops in the tracks or channel ways of the door frame, for the heads of the is stops in the channel ways mounted verticallyat the sides of the door ways.

Figure 9 is a' detail in perspective. showings" means through the provision of hexagonal heads for the pivot lugs of the panels, eo-operatlns with channel-ways havins co-actins and angularly disposed margins, for settins thepanels angularly train the vertical for providing aventi latlon as may be required.

Figure 10 is an enlarzed'detail of an inner, slotted stop D1810, provided with longitudinally extended slotsoiincreasinswidthfromthepre determined lower to the upper end thereoi. the samebeingdesignediormountingwithinthe channel-ways of the vertical side members of the door frame. upon.the inner walls ct the facing plates, to serve as stops for the successively diametrically enlarged heads of the supporting illvot lugs ot the panels.

a In practising this invention I provide a plurality of relatively narrow panels or shutters I, constructed of any suitable material such as thin wood or sheet metal, and which may ina window 3, if wanted. having the outwardly disposed heads la are anchored in the ends of these panels in; longitudinal alignment with slightly to one side of the median line panel, so that as'supported from these his the predetermined lower sides or margins of gravity. Channeled side members or bars i are vertically mounted at either side of the door A. the same being preferably of metal and including the backs 5a, sides 5b and facing plates or strips Icthelatterbeingspacedaparttoprovidethe medial and longitudinal slots Id which are of a widthnicelyandireelytopassthestudsl, whereby the panels are slidably mounted at their ends to the said channeled side bars.

Thepurposeoftheinventionistoprovide meansforthesepanels oneoverthe other from bottom to top in an overlaprdng relationasshowninFigurel, soastoclosethe entire door opening. This object may be accomplished by any one of several methods. As

representedinFlguresSanddthisisdonebymakingtheheadslaofthelugslotconstantly and gradually increasing thickness from the predetermined bottom panel In to the top panel Is. and then moimting pins or stops l2 transversely through the members I over the backs thereof, in such position and arrangement that each successive set of pins, one at either side oi. the door frame and in horizontal alignment. will function to permit one of the panels or shutters to slide down vertically and then to freely support that panel through the bearings which the heads in will have upon each successive set of the aligned pins, from bottom to top-of the assembly.

In lieu of the foregoing method and as representedinFlgure'l',i-hesameresultastothe and locating'of the panels may be brought about by a gradual increase in the diameter of the heads 4a from bottom to top of the assembly, and then locating stop pins Ila at either side of the slots id in the channeled tracks and in suitably vertically spaced relation to nioe.

'ly interceptthe bolt heads oi. succersively'inupon which the heads la oi the lugs l. of successively enlarged diameter from bottom to top of the assembly, may have a hearing at either sideotthedoorway,oneotthesesaidplatesbeventim as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim: La eollapsibleclosureioradooropeningor I M I 1" sidebarsmounted inporallelalignmentateithersideoitheopening.apluralityotpanehotalengthtotransverselyspontheopeningandadaptedtooverlap oneanotherinaspreadorexpandedrelationtor closingovertheopeningortobepulledupwardly andcollapeedflatlyandhorizontallytogetherior clearing the openlnir. pivot lugs eccentrically extendedinlonglturlina-lalignmentateitherenrl ofthepanelsandadaptedtoenterandslide withinthechannelsotthesidebarsthepanels beingsuspendedtromthmelwandtheeccentric mounting causingthepanelstoautomaticailyturnverticallyforclosing'theopening thedoorwhentheyarespreadthereover bottomtotop,andcomplemen stoppins diilerentlevelsiortherespectlvelugsoteach paneladaptedtoautcmaticallyarrestthedown- I8 ward movement of one of each of said panels at different levels in the door opening to spread the panels from top to bottom of the said door opening by gravity and hoist means for elevating said panels to horizontal stacked position to clear the door opening.

2. A collapsible closure for a door opening, comprising channeled side bars mounted in parallel alignment at either side of the opening, the bars having slotted faoings, a plurality of relatively narrow panels of a length to transversely span the opening and of a width to close same from bottom to top when spread thereover in vertical overlapped relation, and adapted to be collapsed horizontally together at the top of the opening for clearing same, pivot lugs eccentrically extended in longitudinal alignment at the ends of the panels and adapted to freely slide within the slots of the facings of the side bars, the inner ends of the lugs being headed and these heads being progressively enlarged from the predetermined lowermost panel of the assembly to the uppermost panel thereof, and means within the channels of the side bars and arranged in spaced relation therein from bottom to top of the bars for successively abutting the progressively enlarged heads of the pivot lugs at the ends of the panels to limit movement of and thereby position the panels, whereby the panels as dropped downward from the top of the door opening will automatically spread over the door opening and close same, the panels turning vertically in overlapping relation due to the eccentric mounting thereof as aforesaid, and means for raising and horizontally collapsing the panels together at the top of the door opening.

3. In a closure construction, a plurality of panels movable to and from a position in stacked relation to approximately a position in a common plane, projections on said panels, guide means in which said projections are slidable and rotatable to and from said positions, stop members on said guide means at difierent elevations each engageable by and adapted to support a different projection when the panels are disposed in the said aproximately common plane, said stop members being at progressively increasing distances laterally of the path of movement of the projections in the direction away from said first mentioned position and said projections on each lower panel being narrower than the projections 01' each adjacent upper panel to thereby enable the projections to be retracted past and between the said laterally spaced stop members from said first mentioned position.

4. A collapsible closure for a door opening or the like comprising channeled side bars with slotted facings mounted in parallel alignment at either side of the opening, a plurality of panels of a len th to transversely 'span the opening mounted and adapted to drop vertically in overlapped relation to close the same, and to be pulled up and collapsed horizontally together for clearing the opening, the said mounting means including pivot lugs eccentrically extended in longitudinal alignment at either end of the panels and adapted to pass through the slotted facings of the side bars and freely slide therein and coacting stop pins on the inner walls of the channels of the side bars and at the ends of the pivot lugs, for automatically stopping and spreading the panels from bottom to top of the door opening through downward movement of the panels following their release from a relatively elevated position.

5. A collapsible closure for a door opening or .the like, comprising channeled side bars mounted in parallel alignment at either side of the opening, a plurality of panels of a length to transversely span the opening and adapted to overlap one another in a spread or expanded relation for closing over the opening or to be pulled upwardly and collapsed flatly and horizontally together for clearing the opening, pivot lugs eccentrically ex? tended in longitudinal alignment at either end of the panels and adapted to enter and slide within the channels of the side bars, the panels being suspended from these lugs and the eccentric mounting causing the panels to automatically turn vertically for closing the opening of the door when they are spread thereover from bottom to top, panel spreading means comprising successive enlargements of the pivot lugs from the lowermost to the uppermost of the panels, and complemental and co-acting elements in the channeled side bars to successively intercept the correspondingly successive enlargements of the pivot lugs of the panels and means for raising the panels to their horizontal stacked position for clearing the door opening.

6. A collapsible closure for a door opening or the like comprising channeled side bars with slotted facings mounted in parallel alignment at either side of the opening, a plurality of panels of a length to transversely span the opening mounted and adapted to drop vertically in overlapped relation to close the same, and to be pulled up and collapsed horizontally together for clearing the opening, the said mounting means including pivot lugs eccentrically extended in longitudinal alignment at either end of the panels and adapted to pass through the slotted facings of the side bars and freely slide therein and co-acting means for spreading the panels comprising successive enlargements on the pivot lugs from lowermost to uppermost and complementary stops within the channels of the side bars for successively intercepting the same.

CHARLES L. DIERKER. 

